The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27
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ABOUT CHRISTMAS DoLLA


From the Philadelphia Times
Dolls have amused the world for ages and
seem to have been well known in the days OF the
Pharaohs; for, in the tombs Of ancient Egypt figures
painted wood of terra Gotta OF ivory and OF rags
have been found whose limbs made movable
for the delight of children It'll quite probable that
Pharaoh's daughter threw aside n mimic child for
the real baby which she found in the famous bulrusl
basket In the tombs of Etrura-by the way, where wa
Notwithstanding toys have been discovered they
were spread in the east and In China as well as ia
India, movable figures were made TO act from time
immemoral by hand and on strings or as shadows
behind curtoin. The ancient Greeks were experts
In the manufacture of puppets, including wG.x dolls,
and several Of their poets alude the offerings Of
dolls to Aremis and Aphrodlte made by maidcns
before their marriage.
Whether or not any dolls were brought over by
the Puritans who landed at Plymouth Rock, we
do not know. There are sHid 70 have been soma
brought In the Mayhowei, and possibly the claim
is true for you know the good ship sailed from
Dutch port, and Dutch children have for CEN
turles had the best dolls the world affords
There was time when there fashion
Journals lust as there was limo when there were
no newspapers or magazines Of any sort. The
French people then, now, originated most of tho
ladies' fashions for all the world, and they had
no way of making pictures of their new styles on
papers to describe them in, they Inade
M dolls In the latest French fashions and
the French called them, were thought Of so much
Importance In England that they were allowed to
be Imported without hindrancs, even IN time OF
war These dolls not only showed the cut Of the
costumes but also reproduced faithfully The ma
terials aud trimmings. Some Of them were brought
into Pennsylvania and Virginia In early times and
set the fashion for our great-grandmothers styles
IN dress.
The latter country Is famous for the manufacture
of TOYS and dolls and the small town of Sol sberg
In the Thuringan Forest alone produces articles for
the ainugement Of children to the value Of Sl50000
yearly, and enough TO ill the toy shops Of every
quarter Of the globe The different processes in the
manufacture OF wax dolls can there be seen from
beginning TO end and partly illustrated In this
article German ladies also export doll dressels,
and there is a yearly Christmas exhibition of dolls
at Berlin. great deal IL made Of this Berlin doll
exhibition, and society turns out In large numbers
to petronize 1t.
There are whole towns In Germany that do littlo
else but make dolls for American children. They
are mostly simple country folk. They get small pay
for making even an excellent doll, but It must be
remembered that their wants few. German
people do not stir about much ns Americans, and
1t Is the travelling and the dresses 10 travel In ana
appear In style" before the world that cost Eng
lish children buy almost 81 100000 worth Of dolls
from French and German doll makers, v b le tho
American children, not quite all In dolls, however,
buy double that many dollars worth every year.
American money paid out for dolls, makes many
happy homes among the poor people Of France and
Germany ut Christmas time.